Identity - Social Psychological Aspects

Nowhere is the concept of identity more relevant than in the domains of “race,” ethnicity, and nation, given that these social categories can gain particular social and psychological traction when they are construed as forms of self‐definition. This entry provides a brief overview of the social identity approach and then focuses specifically upon the contribution of identity process theory to the social psychology of identity. It is argued that an integrative theory such as identity process theory is necessary for a holistic understanding of the antecedents and consequences of identity in relation to “race,” ethnicity, and nationalism.